1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Other NASA visit

Discussion in 'General' started by LAGMonkey, 13 Jul 2009.

  1. LAGMonkey

    LAGMonkey Group 7 error

    Joined:
    4 Aug 2004
    Posts:
    1,507
    Likes Received:
    8
    having just watched the aborted launch of STS 127, the Miss's wants to visit the states and go see some NASA stuff.

    Ive always said that i would like to make a trip to the mecca of space but now i have a question.

    Florida or Texas?

    i can only do one so which would offer more NASA bang for my buck?

    Houston Control or the Cape?

    enquireing minds need to know!
     
  2. C-Sniper

    C-Sniper Stop Trolling this space Ądmins!

    Joined:
    17 Jun 2007
    Posts:
    3,028
    Likes Received:
    126
    Florida by far
    The Cape is really cool and if you go on a non-launch day you can tour the launch pads and they have a whole bunch of neat things going on.
     
    LAGMonkey likes this.
  3. Guest-23315

    Guest-23315 Guest

    I lived in Houston, and going to Johnson space centre was always fun, but not much compared with Florida, especially seeing as you can link more in with the Cape..

    Best bet, is to try and sync your trip with some form of launch. When we went there was a launch for collecting comet dust, well worth the heat and waiting to see.

    :thumb:
     
    LAGMonkey likes this.
  4. jhanlon303

    jhanlon303 The Keeper of History

    Joined:
    7 Sep 2006
    Posts:
    9,263
    Likes Received:
    302
    I have to agree with Mankz. I've been to both and the Cape is cool for launch facilities but Houston is cool when something is actually up there and being tracked. I was there before the ISS so I don't know where it is tracked. I did get to see it come right over our house a few nights ago. Never would have thought it moved that fast. And there was a little Russian unmanned ship just behind it - Freedom 33(?) I think.

    john
     
    LAGMonkey likes this.
  5. LAGMonkey

    LAGMonkey Group 7 error

    Joined:
    4 Aug 2004
    Posts:
    1,507
    Likes Received:
    8
    lovely!

    so itll be a holiday booking for the cape. Thanks guys!
    just need to figure out a time to go and see and then itll be off to the space mecca.

    plus rep to you all i think. :D
     
  6. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

    Joined:
    14 Apr 2004
    Posts:
    4,955
    Likes Received:
    202
    I work at the Johnson Space Center here in Houston, and I would vote for KSC in Florida, as well. If you can time it with a launch - and the launch doesn't slip - then even better. Simply put, the entire facility is huge, and you'll get to see far more there. However, that's not to say that JSC doesn't have much to offer. If you decide on Houston, one thing to keep in mind is that all of the tours are operated out of Space Center Houston, a separate entity next door to JSC (it is subsidized by JSC, but not officially a part of the facility). The cost of admission includes a tram tour of the JSC grounds and you do get to walk through a couple of buildings, including the original Mission Control Room, the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, and the ISS Mockup Facility. NBL and Mockup Facility access is limited to a catwalk on a viewing deck, but it's still pretty neat.

    The ISS has been in continuous orbit for over 10 years now, so there is always something being tracked. Launch control is in Florida, but as soon as the Shuttle clears the tower control is handed over to Houston; both the Shuttle and the ISS are controlled here in Houston*. If you saw it a few nights ago, then it could have been the most recent Progress resupply vehicle. I believe it undocked on June 30, and I don't think it has de-orbited yet. They do travel pretty fast - 17,500 mph, in fact.

    If you want to find out when the ISS - and other assorted spacecraft - will make a visible pass over your local area, check out Heavens Above.

    -monkey

    *Technically, there are ISS control centers in America, Russia, Japan, Germany, and Canada, but the primary control center is here in Houston.
     
    Last edited: 13 Jul 2009
  7. cyrilthefish

    cyrilthefish What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    15 Apr 2004
    Posts:
    1,363
    Likes Received:
    99
    not been to both, so i can't really comment fairly.

    but me + my brother + my dad were thoroughly impressed with the NASA thing at Florida

    (sadly they same couldn't be said for my mother there as she was bored silly, she got her revenge later in the holiday though :) )
     
  8. IanW

    IanW Grumpy Old Git

    Joined:
    2 Aug 2003
    Posts:
    9,149
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    When some friends of mine visited the cape a few years ago (last Florida Worldcon), they were surprised that the gift shop did not accept American Express!
     
  9. Tec_

    Tec_ What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    26 Feb 2008
    Posts:
    437
    Likes Received:
    6
    that is because visa is every ware you want to be.
     
  10. oasked

    oasked Stuck in (better) mud

    Joined:
    24 Aug 2005
    Posts:
    4,102
    Likes Received:
    78
    Haha, American Express is useless anyway - VISA is the best for worldwide usage. :)

    I've never been to Houston, but the cape was pretty awesome when I went there (probably about 10 years ago now) and I didn't even see a launch.
     
  11. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    21 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    23,925
    Likes Received:
    655
    I haven't been to Houston, but the Saturn 5 and other assorted rockets made Cape pretty damn special when I was there. We were supposed to see a launch, but it got scrubbed back by two days and we missed it. :(

    I'm going to have to go back and see a launch. I'd like to see the shuttle, but it's due for retirement well before I could scrub funds to get out and see one. When's the replacement due? 2015?
     
  12. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    5,974
    Likes Received:
    272
    Another vote for the Cape from me. I've been twice, the first time we went and saw all the touristy bits and bobs which was really interesting, but the second time was infinitely more awesome because there was actually a launch.

    I just wish I was a bit older so I could have appreciated it a little more. All I remember was being incredibly bored waiting around for ages (the launch was delayed IIRC), and then being slack-jawed in amazement watching this thing fly off into space.

    Still, I'm sure I'll get round to going again at some point.
     
  13. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

    Joined:
    14 Apr 2004
    Posts:
    4,955
    Likes Received:
    202
    We have a Saturn 5, and a couple of other rockets here, as well. It's part of the tour.

    Assuming there are no more setbacks, the last Shuttle is currently slated for September 16, 2010. Given the nature of spaceflight, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed back a little bit due to various launch slips along the way. We have the funding to support 7 more flights after STS-127. When they take off is another question altogether.

    If all current plans happen as they are written today, then we're looking at 2015-ish for the next generation crew vehicle. However, this is government work, and government work is never on time.

    -monkey
     
  14. LAGMonkey

    LAGMonkey Group 7 error

    Joined:
    4 Aug 2004
    Posts:
    1,507
    Likes Received:
    8
    just out of curiosity, when you guys went to the cape. Did you book it as a special package or just decided to go there as an aside?

    Im trying to work out what airport is the closest so i can see if i can book freebe flights!

    and only 7 more shuttle launches....thats rather sad :(
     
  15. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

    Joined:
    21 Jan 2003
    Posts:
    23,925
    Likes Received:
    655
    We went on just a random daytrip. We were on the generic florida family holiday going to all the theme parks one week, then we stayed at Cocoa beach near the cape for the 2nd, and ended up doing more different stuff like the space centre.

    Does anyone know if there's still the Astronaut centre (don't remember what it was called)? It was a bit more like a museum than the KSC, on a separate site, with more of a focus on the actual astronauts & capsules rather than the other flight hardware. It was really interesting.
     
  16. lcdguy

    lcdguy Minimodder

    Joined:
    25 May 2004
    Posts:
    2,336
    Likes Received:
    19
    i've been to KSC and it's amazing. The VAB building is biblicaly huge (well maybe not biblicaly huge, but is still freaking big). Besides there are other distractions in florida as well.
     
  17. E.E.L. Ambiense

    E.E.L. Ambiense Acrylic Heretic

    Joined:
    26 Jul 2007
    Posts:
    2,957
    Likes Received:
    68
    The Hall of Fame? Yes, it's still there.

    Oddly enough, lived here in Brevard county majority of my life, and I rarely get out to the Cape. Just went on last vacation though back in Feb. I can't belive how much the prices have hiked though for admission, but I guess that's what happens when you get a division of Disney to handle the park! :hehe:
     
  18. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

    Joined:
    25 Jul 2006
    Posts:
    12,726
    Likes Received:
    456
    I so want to go and do this some day as well, but hopefully in a few years I will be living close enough to drive to the cape ;)

    I watched every second of footage from STS-125's mission to hubble after the links were posted on here. It's fascinating stuff.
     
  19. IanW

    IanW Grumpy Old Git

    Joined:
    2 Aug 2003
    Posts:
    9,149
    Likes Received:
    2,650
    You were right the first time. The VAB was (until Boeing's factory was completed) the largest building in the world! Big enough to have it's own weather (clouds can form inside it).
     
  20. Brett89

    Brett89 Minimodder

    Joined:
    15 Dec 2005
    Posts:
    1,329
    Likes Received:
    35
    Assuming you haven't already made your decision, Cape all the way. It was just an awesome place to go see, I went there around 7 years ago. Was completely wowed by everything.
     

Share This Page